The Company of Two
by Fire The Canon
Summary: With Harry still stuck at the Dursleys, being told nothing, Ron and Hermione struggle to keep quiet, but at the same time, they like it when it's just the two of them. For Nayla, Girl Scout Cookie Challenge and Organisation Boot Camp.


_**Written for Nayla (The Original Horcrux) as my May dedication for the Gift-Giving Extravaganza**_

_**Written for Lavender Flame's The Girl's Scout Cookie Challenge in the category 'Thin Mints - write about a popular character or pairing'**_

_**Written for SnarkandProudHufflepuff's Organisation Boot Camp using the prompt 'danger'**_

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**The Company of Two**

Hedwig landed on the perch again, hooting for a letter to be removed from her leg. She glared down at the two humans before her, hooting again when neither of them moved.

"It's just Harry demanding answers again," Hermione sighed, eventually getting up from the bed and walking over to the snowy owl. Hedwig nipped her finger affectionately as she removed the letter and opened it hesitantly. Her eyes barely glanced over the messy scrawl that belonged to her friend, knowing full well what it would say.

"What is it this time?" Ron questioned, coming over to join her. A few years ago, he had been barely an inch taller than Hermione. Nowadays he towered over her, and she had to crane her neck to see him.

"Just wanting to know – once again – why we haven't replied to him," Hermione said, sighing again as she sat the letter on the edge of the bed. "Ron, I really wish we could tell him."

"But… Dumbledore –"

"I think Dumbledore's wrong," Hermione interrupted before Ron could tell her what he had been telling her the last few weeks. "Harry has a right to know. Voldemort's – oh, get over it, Ron – after him, and no one's telling him. He's in danger… we all are."

"You know what'll happen once he finds out, though," Ron said. "He'll want to get involved and no one wants him involved. Hermione, we're not even allowed into those meetings. Fred and George aren't. Mum doesn't want anybody there."

Hermione nodded, plonking down onto the bed once more. Ron sat beside her, patting her awkwardly on the back. "I know," she said. "It's just… I wish we could say something. I mean, you'd hate being stuck somewhere you don't even like with no one talking to you. We could be dead as far as Harry's concerned."

"They're going to get him in two days," Ron reminded her. "Then we can tell him everything. He'll be pissed off for sure, but…."

Hermione nodded again. "What do we do until then, though?"

Ron picked up the letter, read over it quickly, and then screwed it up into a small ball before chucking it across the room. "Ignore it," he said. "Again."

They both sat on the edge of the bed, silence coming over them. It had been like this a lot lately – the two talking, then suddenly falling silent to ponder what had happened. It was a common occurrence; one that neither of them knew how to handle. What had happened to their constant chatter, their constant bickering? It had disappeared over the summer, replaced by some unknown force that was making them get along more. Neither of them could pinpoint it, but it felt somewhat comforting.

It wasn't until Hermione turned slightly towards her friend and looked into his eyes that the silence broke. "Ron?" she said quietly.

"Yes?" He also looked at her.

"Can we go for a walk or something?"

"A walk?" Ron questioned. "Where to? Mum would never let us out of the house, you know that."

"I know," Hermione replied with a short nod. "I just meant… around here. I just need to clear my head, that's all."

Ron was the first one to his feet, offering his hand to Hermione to help her up. She accepted with a smile, her arm tingling slightly at his touch. She pulled it away quickly after that, her eyes turning to her feet.

"Er… we can go and see Buckbeak?" Ron suggested, shuffling his own feet uncomfortably. "If we can get into the room, that is. Sirius is very private, isn't he?"

Hermione smiled at him, looking up again. "We'll see what we can do," she said, and led the way from the room.

They walked slowly, neither of them saying a word. They didn't have to. Despite the strangeness of their time together, without Harry around, things had been nice. They both felt guilty for thinking that – and would never admit it to the other – but it was the truth. Right now, they enjoyed one another's company more than Harry's.

Hermione led the way up the next flight of stairs to where Ron's parents and Fred and George slept. There was another room down a dark, narrow hallway which both assumed to be Sirius'. That door remained locked at all times.

"You don't think we could have a look, do you?" Ron questioned.

"Ron!"

"What? Sirius trounces through our rooms all the time."

"It's _his_ house, Ron," Hermione reminded him. "He can do as he pleases."

"Not at five in the bloody morning," Ron replied, scowling slightly. "He needs to learn that not all people are full of energy at that time."

"Ron, we're not going to go in there," Hermione stated firmly, before grabbing his hand, and dragging him to the room at the other end; the one Sirius kept Buckbeak in. It was his mother's old room – a fate Sirius took great satisfaction out of.

_She'd hate such a creature in her room_, Sirius had said. _That's why I put him there_.

Much to their surprise, the door was unlocked, and a very sick looking Buckbeak greeted them. Hermione hurried over to the poor creature, stroking his beak gently.

"You poor thing," she sighed. "It's not fair that you have to be kept up here all this time, not being able to go out. I mean, Sirius is one thing, but for you…."

"It's better than him being dead, isn't it?" Ron asked, also coming over to the Hippogriff.

"I should really talk to Sirius about letting him go," Hermione said. "It's best if he does."

"He'll be caught, though," Ron said.

"No one's going to remember," Hermione argued. "Especially not looking like this… do you think Charlie will take him?"

"Charlie looks after _dragons_," Ron reminded her.

"I know, but –"

Ron rested a hand on Hermione's arm, silencing her. "I really admire how concerned you are," he said gently, "But there isn't really much we can do about it, can we? Anyway, I think Sirius likes having Buckbeak here."

"But, it's not fair!" A tear trickled down Hermione's cheek, and she wiped it away quickly, hoping Ron hadn't seen it.

He had, of course.

"Yeah, it's not," he agreed. "But we're not really in a position to do anything. Maybe we can talk to Dumbledore when he's here next. Sirius might listen to him… well Dumbledore will probably have an idea at least."

Hermione nodded, wiping away another tear. "You're right," she said. "I'm just being silly."

"No, you're not," Ron assured her.

She looked up at him, a pained smile forming on her lips. "But you hate S.P.E.W," she reminded him.

"I don't _hate_ it," Ron said. "It's a brilliant idea, really."

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

Ron nodded. "Yeah," he said. "It's great. You should really continue with it this year."

Hermione looked at him sceptically, but Ron simply grinned at her. Eventually, she smiled too. "Thanks, Ron," she said. "That means a lot."

Ron shrugged, turning faintly red. "A brilliant idea shouldn't be left," he mumbled.

Hermione squeezed his hand. "Thank you," she said again.

Ron turned an even deeper shade of red.

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_**So, Ron and Hermione and Harry were never officially part of the Order (my chosen organisation) but they were as good as, so I took the liberty in including them :P**_

_**This is like the first ever Romione I've written that isn't post-war. Challenge accepted! Anyway, I tried to portray the awkwardness of their relationship at this stage. I hope you liked it. **_

_**And I hope you liked it too, Nayla :) **_


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